The Chicago White Sox are stocking up on highly regarded farmhands.
The White Sox traded center fielder Adam Eaton to the Washington Nationals on Wednesday in exchange for right-handed pitching prospects Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning, according to multiple reports.
The move comes less than 24 hours after Chicago traded left-handed ace Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for prospects Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe and Victor Diaz.
Moncada is the No. 1 prospect overall in Major League Baseball, while Giolito is the top-ranked pitching prospect (No. 3 overall), according to MLB.com. Kopech (No. 30) and Lopez (No. 38) bring tremendous upside to the White Sox organization, too, so it’s been an eventful winter meetings for the South Siders.
The Nationals have landed a talented veteran in Eaton, who’s coming off a 2016 season in which he hit .284 with 14 home runs, 59 RBIs, 14 stolen bases and a .790 OPS. The 28-year-old also comes with an extremely team-friendly contract. He’s owed just $18.4 over the next three seasons of his deal, which includes very affordable club options for 2020 ($9.5 million) and 2021 ($10.5 million).
That said, the Nationals surrendered a lot to obtain Eaton’s services, especially when you consider both Giolito and Lopez reportedly were part of the three-prospect package Washington offered Chicago for Sale before the All-Star hurler was shipped to Boston.
UPDATE (6:20 p.m. ET): The deal is official, and the White Sox seem thrilled with what they’ve accomplished so far at the winter meetings.
Thumbnail photo via Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY Sports Images
